University Business Magazine Honors Southern California University of Health Sciences for Being a "Model of Efficiency"

WHITTIER, Calif., Nov. 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern California University of Health Sciences is one of nine colleges and universities nationwide being recognized by University Business magazine in its winter 2012 "Models of Efficiency" national recognition program. Sponsored by Higher One, which assists in college business office operations, the Models of Efficiency program recognizes innovative approaches for streamlining higher education operations through technology and/or business process improvements.

"Southern California University of Health Sciences' Clinical Internship Portal improves processes for SCU in multiple ways," said Tim Goral, Editor in Chief of University Business. "From elimination of redundancy, conflicts and errors to better meeting accreditation requirements, the Portal is a definite business process champion for this higher ed institution."

Southern California University of Health Science's Clinical Internship program prepares student interns to diagnose and treat patients in a real-world healthcare scenario. Previously, all facets of the program were manually maintained via paper-based processes. The Office of Supported and Institutional Research needed to review 178 credit request forms and 354 patient procedure logs annually to determine if a student was eligible to move to the next term or graduate. But data was not easily accessible. During a visit by the university's programmatic accreditors, the inability to provide timely data led to a request for detailed information and more streamlined processes. The solution was found in Microsoft Access, already installed on campus.

Access was used to track student intern credit and schedule clinical rotations. It also served as the catalyst for the development of a customized web application: The Clinical Internship Portal. Through the portal, rotation scheduling is shared by all clinical faculty, who spend just 20 minutes or less per month, while schedule conflicts and errors have dropped to nearly zero.

Students and clinical faculty now submit and approve all credit and patient tracking forms online. Interns log in and approve patient procedures, and view a personalized schedule and detailed reports, including the number of credits needed to complete the quantitative elements of their education.

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"This increased efficiency freed up time for clinical faculty to focus on the students' clinical experience through education and patient care," said Melea Fields, SCU Chief Research Officer. "The Portal also brings internal and external benchmark assessment data together in one location for analysis, and contributes to fulfilling accreditation requirements."

Southern California University of Health Sciences (SCU) is recognized as a premier evidence-based integrative healthcare university. The school's mission is to educate students as competent, caring and successful integrative healthcare practioners. For over a century, the University has been committed to excellence in academics, service, scholarships and leaderships through the Los Angeles College of Chiropractic, the College of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine, and the School of Professional Studies. For more information about the university visit us at www.scuhs.edu.

Models of Efficiency is an ongoing recognition program. Higher education institutions can participate in upcoming rounds by visiting www.universitybusiness.com/moe.

University Business is the leading publication for senior managers at colleges and universities throughout the United States, reaching 46,000 leaders who manage offices such as enrollment, technology, facilities, and academic affairs. More information is available at www.universitybusiness.com.

Higher One (NYSE: ONE) provides its services to more than 10.8 million students at distinguished public and private higher education institutions nationwide. More information about Higher One can be found at www.HigherOne.com.

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